Cocky Wells makes pitch

NEW YORK - Speaking his mind was never a problem for David Wells. So when the 45-year-old lefty was asked yesterday if he could still pitch in the majors, he didn't hesitate for a second.

"Oh I could, there's no question that I could," Wells said before his first appearance at Old-Timers' Day. "But it's getting the opportunity."

Though Wells, who was 9-9 with a 5.43 ERA for the Padres and Dodgers last season, tried hard to get a major league gig this year, eventually he had to accept that his 21-year baseball career was at an end. No one, including his former team, the Yankees, wanted him - though Wells even made a pitch for himself back in May to the New York Post that he could help the Yankees rotation.

Now Wells spends his time surfing, golfing, and driving his kids to school. Before he pitched in yesterday's Old-Timers' game, he said he hadn't picked up a baseball in three months. That doesn't mean he doesn't see teams out there that could use someone of his ability.

"You hear on the radio or on the highlights how we didn't do this, or what can we do to improve our team," Wells said. "Well, there's a few guys out there that could probably improve a few teams. But there's nothing you can do."

Wells spent time in the Yankees clubhouse yesterday afternoon chatting with former teammates, including Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who was on the Yankees with Wells in 1997 and 1998.

"David Wells is a competitor, and he's always been a competitor, and he's always thrived in this atmosphere," Girardi said. "None of us ever want to say it's over, because we love playing, so I'm not surprised."

Robinson Cano took the day off yesterday because of a sore left hand. Cano got jammed on a pitch inside by Boston's Jon Lester last Sunday, and his hand has been sore since. He had the hand wrapped early yesterday but did not undergo any tests.

"He's been fighting through it," Girardi said. "He was swinging the bat so great and I think it's affecting him a little bit."

Cano said he only felt discomfort swinging at pitches inside, not in the field. Team trainers advised him to rest yesterday, with no pinch-hitting.

"I'm going to be a cheerleader today," Cano said.

Xavier Nady was back in the lineup in left field, after sitting out Friday's game with a tight right quadriceps. Girardi removed him for pinch-hitter Justin Christian in the eighth, but only because the score was no longer close.

Reliever Brian Bruney pitched for the first time since April 22, when he injured his foot covering first base. Girardi had promised to work Bruney back into games gradually, and a six-run lead in the ninth inning proved the perfect scenario yesterday.

"This is the situation we talked about, bringing him back slowly," Girardi said. "For Brian, I thought he threw the ball really well today."

Bruney allowed a walk and a single and said he was "a little nervous", but his velocity was up at 95-96 mph, a good sign for the hard-throwing right-hander.

"It was real good to get out there," Bruney said. "Stuff-wise, I felt fine."

Ten-time All-Star and baseball's all-time stolen-base leader Rickey Henderson returned to Yankee Stadium for his first Old-Timers' Day yesterday. After serving as the Mets' first-base coach in 2007, Henderson is still with the Mets organization in a smaller role, as a roving minor-league instructor.

"At the time, they had a coaching staff they wanted to go with, and I was willing to accept whatever job they wanted me to do," Henderson said. "My thing is getting my feet in the door and learning about the other side, instead of just playing the game."

Thirty years after Bucky Dent's famed three-run homer off Mike Torrez in the 1978 one-game AL East playoff between the Yankees and the Red Sox, the two players had the chance to face each other again in the final at-bat of the Old-Timers' game. Dent grounded out to second.

Phil Rizzuto's widow, Cora Rizzuto, threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the Old-Timers' game. Shortstop Derek Jeter caught the pitch, then gave each of the five Yankees widows a hug: Rizzuto, Arlene Howard (widow of Elston Howard), Helen Hunter (widow of Catfish Hunter), Jill Martin (widow of Billy Martin) and Diana Munson (widow of Thurman Munson).